Icon Merc Gloves

[Smiling End]

I just got my Icon Merc gloves in today and here are my initial thoughts after a 20 mile ride.

I'm a relatively small guy (5'7 or with hands a little on the small size so after consulting their sizing chart and reading some reviews I bought a size Medium (couldn't find a local store that had them in stock to try on).  They came today and look awesome.  This is my first pair of real motorcycle gloves so I was pretty excited.  I immediately put them on and noticed the same thing that quite a few other reviewers had, the wrist hole is pretty small.  It took a little effort (not anything extraordinary) but I got my hands into the gloves.  They're pretty tight but I can tell that the mediums were the right size to get by the finger length and since around my thumbs and palms they fit fine.  If I had gotten the larges the fingers would have just been way too long and all over the place. 

The gauntlet part of the gloves fit pretty easily over my Ducati textile windproof jacket and the velcro tabs on the wrist of the gloves and on the gauntlet opening seemed to hold pretty secure (hell they better, these things are brand new).  Aside from the tightness the gloves felt ok.  I got on my bike and the first grip of the handlebars was like, "woaah" It was completely different than my usual plain leather gloves.  After some initial slow going I took off down a local road.

After about 10 miles I started to notice a pain in the back of my left index finger where the knuckle armor was.  It wasn't in direct contact with my finger but was still causing some minor annoyance.  I'm attributing this to just the newness of the gloves. 

The gloves did seem to loosen up a little bit on the ride and I imagine they will more as time goes on and the leather gets broken in.  My initial thoughts are I like them and they are a definite improvement over my leather winter gloves that I previously used.

I'll try and post some more info after I've used them a bit more.

[55Spy]

The armor on my mercs bugged me for over 500 miles of use and I eventually just shelved em as a spare pair of gloves for pillions or visiting friends who want to take out one of the other bikes.  I hope you have better luck

[dropstharockalot]

No complaints here.  I'm using the Merc long, and I'd be inclined to give the shorter version a go if any of the dealers around here had any hanging on the wall.

The wrist hole is small, as noted, but I have small hands and wrists.  I'm pleased with these.

[Smiling End]

No complaints here.  I'm using the Merc long, and I'd be inclined to give the shorter version a go if any of the dealers around here had any hanging on the wall.

The wrist hole is small, as noted, but I have small hands and wrists.  I'm pleased with these.

I've gotten two more rides with them and the fit is definitely getting better.  I'm liking them so far and think they'll end up being real good.

[darkduke]

I've been using my Mercs for over 12000 kms now, and I still love em. I never had an issue with the armour tho. They still grip just as good as the day I bought em.

[Aminul]

I just bought a pair of Merc shorties a week ago.  The palm on my right hand was sore after the first ride, but the glove seams to have losened or softened and things are alright now.  No issue with the armour digging in.  If the summer goes well, I might invest in a pair of long ones.

[Smiling End]

I just bought a pair of Merc shorties a week ago.  The palm on my right hand was sore after the first ride, but the glove seams to have losened or softened and things are alright now.  No issue with the armour digging in.  If the summer goes well, I might invest in a pair of long ones.

I had the same palm issue but that quickly went away.  The last time I rode with them the joint at the base of my thumb hurt like hell but I think that was just some weird anomaly.

[dropstharockalot]

Wore the Icon's in today... still no complaints.  The more the break in, the more I like them.

Father's Day resulted in set of Mechanix Impact Pro... not marketed to the moto crowd as protective gear, but anything's better than bare skin...  Took those for a spin last night, and I think they'll be great summer gloves once we're consistently breaking 90 degrees around here.  They've got a real leather palm with padding, decent stitching, some hokey impact-plastic on the tops of the fingers and knuckles, and mesh with a thin leather liner on the top of the hand... very breathable.

[dropstharockalot]

Update on the Icons...

The velcro wrist strap on the left glove began to have issues.  The velcro was beginning to separate from the leather because a stitch gave out.  When I went to pull the tab to loosen the wrist strap, the velcro would stay attached and the leather tab kept pulling away from the back of the velcro.

I dropped them off at the tailor across the street during a lunch break and had them back before I rode home.  It was a $5 fix, and something I could have done myself if I was inclined to sew.

That said, I only have about a thousand miles on these gloves over about a month and a half.  It seems a little early in the lifespan for seams to be popping.

That's my only complaint to this point.

[Crazy Canadian]

No problems here.  I have the full gauntlets and I really feel naked without them.  I think they look pretty good too.  6,000 miles so far and they are great.  I sometimes wear a ring and I notice that can be a little tough as the finger is a little tight with it, but I think it's more because it's a very wide thick ring and it's a "bending the knuckle" problem.

[lazarus7]

my icon gloves came apart at the velcro seam as well, had them stitched back up....
otherwise held up very well, still kicking with about 10,000 miles on them....

[arai_speed]

Do you guys mind posting pics of your gloves?  I'm thinking of getting a set but havent' seen them in person.

Thanks!